Deputy speaker who was the Guest of Honour of the event, met with Honourable Vice President of India, Shri M.Venkaiah Naidu at the inaugural ceremony.

Addressing the event, the Guest of Honour, Acharya Yeshi Phuntsok said, “For those attending today’s conference are all practioners and reserchers on his noble legacy, I don’t see the need for further divulgence. Mahatma Gandhi, who sought India’s independence with the power of non-violence, now has followers throughout the world. Even His Holiness the Dalai Lama steadfastly follows the path of Ghandian Non-Violence to resolve the Tibet-China issues.”

He further added, “Rather than just debating and discussing over Gandhi’s noble legacy, practicing those ideals in one’s routine lifestyle is even more essential in a free country like yours. Even though I never had the opportunity to meet such historic figures like Mahatma Gandhi and Vinoba Bhave, however, in 1997 I had the opportunity to meet Smt. Nirmala Deshpande while campaigning for Tibet-issues at Rajgarh. At the time, she addressed not only on the struggles for the Tibet cause but also went on to render her full support. She often met with His Holiness the Dalai Lama as well. During a Tibetan parliamentary deletion to Delhi, I met her yet again. She not only raised the issue of rendering support to Middle Way Policy to resolve the Tibet-China issue during a parliamentary session with signed petitions of several parliamentarians but also offered her support to the other needful countries wherever required while she was alive. Her residence always felt like an welcoming public-abode.”

“As an exiled Tibetan parliamentarian, I will neither be able to the divulge on the critical situation inside Tibet in detail nor will time allow me today. However, I would like to take this opportunity to thank both the people and the government of India for supporting the cause of Tibet and appeal you all to raise the awareness on Tibet’s cause an struggle as you return to your respective residences.’’ said the Deputy Speaker.

At the Ashram, he met with the Chairman of Harijan Sevak Sangh and its members. The members of India-Tibet Coordination Office exhibited publications and Tibet and its related issues.

Along with Chief-Guest Vice President Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu, the conference was attended by H.E. the Drikung Kyabgön Chetsang Rinpoche, Chief Gurus of different religions, ministers from the Central Government, members of parliaments, think-tanks as well as specially-invited speakers from abroad. In addition to over-hundred speakers, around 600 followers from Ghandian Ashram, Acharya Vinoba Ashram and Smt. Nirmala Despande, located all over India, also attended this conference

On this visit, the Deputy Speaker met with Shri Satish Kumar, Personal Assistant to Shri Shanta Kumar, Conveyor of All Party Indian Parliamentarian Forum for Tibet and several other members of the Indian parliament.